#the struggle of being too tiny so you have to climb up and do parkour to dunk a candy in

[goldendragonleaf]

Trick or treat!

JUMPSCARED CAUSE I DONT REALLY CHECK TUMBLR OOPS HI PLUM UH UH

*dunks candy in bag*

[this-blurry-photograph]

The Lost Tomb 2: Ep.7

Fatty: Xiao-ge's talking in full sentences. Shit's about to get real.

Does knee capping Wu Xie with a projectile flashlight to stop him from running down a dangerous corridor while under the influence of some tomb tomfoolery count as Xiao-ge saving him? Yes, in my books, yes it does.

Okay, it's not just me right? Everytime Wu Xie and Xiao-ge make eye contact it is the most intense gazing you've ever seen in your life. And it always lasts way longer than it has any need to.

Wu Xie stopping Fatty and being like, no it's my place to follow directly after Xiao-ge.

Man this episode is giving us so much good interaction between these three!

I love the tiny little nod and blink thing Xiao-ge does. Aaahhhh. I thought I was going to have a hard time with the change in actors, especially since this guy plays Xiao-ge quite differently from the season 1 actor, but I am having such a great time with him!

Do I count the flashback of Xiao-ge saving Wu Xie in the water while going to Lord Shang of Lu's tomb in the count even though it's definitely a remake of a scene that happened in season 1? I am going to say yes. Keeping track of these saves is turning into a much more serious endeavour than I originally predicted.

And here we have Fatty make jokes about Wu Xie and Xiao-ge's age difference. Man this episode has me smiling so much.

Oh no Wu Xie's struggling so much. I kind of really like the characterization we're getting with this climbing scene. Xiao-ge is of course just absurdly competent and parkours his way up. Fatty struggles but is able to use the rope to climb up the pillar. For all that he may struggle with the physical side of things he is an experienced tomb raider and that's evident here. And then you have Wu Xie who has no idea what he's doing and can't even get his feet off the ground. *sobbing*

I'm starting to question how much Wu Xie actually knows about all this and how much he's getting by on confidence, charm, and a ridiculous about of luck.

Aw, Wu Xie is so sweet. 'I'm sorry I got mad at you when you accused my uncle of being a murderer.'

I love the way this weird mummy thing runs.

Oh my goodness that shot where Xiao-ge goes flying away from the explosive. *crying*

I vote this trio should not be let into any more tombs. With the first one they burned it and an entire forest down, and now they've blown a hole in and flooded this one.

+1 to Xiao-ge saving Wu Xie for lassoing the mummy and blowing up the ceiling so they could escape.

It this gonna be the format? They go through the whole tomb together and then as they're escaping Xiao-ge disappears in a way that makes it unclear if he survived or not. Cause if it is he's gonna break my heart, and Wu Xie's too. Gosh I'm actually getting misty eyed. Watching Wu Xie desperately trying to go back for Xiao-ge was heart wrenching.

I started out this episode having just the best time, and now I'm so sad :(

Xiao-ge saving Wu Xie count: |||| |||| |||| |||| |

[archived-gtronpa-account]

Ok ok hear me out, Shuichi having 2 calm down a borrower after they’ve been caught by Kokichi

I'm,,, wheezing,,,

Alrite if the borrower is so scared I'm assuming this is going with a villainous Kokichi? That's not my fave trope but I can go with that

Mmmm maybe maybe gimme a sec,,, ohhh okay I got it here's what I'm thinking:

Shuichi knows something weird is going on in his apartment. There's odd supplies and bits of food missing, since he lives alone then there must be something or someone stealing all rhat. Obviously it can't be rats or some run cause they wouldn't steal pins and bottle caps, it has to be a someone. But why steal those things and such small quantities of food? Is someone toying with him? He checked with his neighbours and no one reports hearing or seeing anyone intrude in his apartment. So it's safe to say Shuichi is really creeped out but also very, very intrigued

Eventually he makes his lil investigation and the best conclusion he comes to is that it's one of those tiny thiefs he's read legends about in shady websites. It sounds really stupid but it's the only fitting conclusion, besides, does it matter if it's so carzy? Not really. His life is already so stressful he needs some wonder and fantasy, so he just goes with it and starts jokingly believing in the little people in his walls, sometimes outloud saying stuff like 'Hey right now I'm not in the kitchen so if you want to get some food now the coast is clear' or 'goodnight little people or person have a safe stealing trip' and 'by the way little people if you need anything just tell me okay? I'm leaving the cupboards open I bought some groceries today hope that'll be good enough'. He doesn't believe that one second, but he finds it really fun and a nice way to escape from stress, thinking there's someone listening to him.

Though, he does tell Kokichi about the weird occurrences in his apartment and jokingly mentions it could be tiny thiefs. Kokichi takes that much more seriously and takes it as a challenge and a game to understand what's going on at Saihara's place.

When Shuichi is gone, Kokichi lockpicks his door and gets in (Saihara already knows about his lockpicking, and Kichi even snuck in to surprise him a couple times, so it's alright) and coincidentally (more like by the power of scriptwriting ease) the borrower is out borrowing at that time.

Pif paf poof! Kokichi jumps at the little fella before he can get away, plucks him up in a fist and sticks him in his pocket and leaves like the thief he is. No more problems for his friend Saihara.

Now, I think Kokichi is the type who always wants entertainment. Either he'll be the one entertaining large groups and people he's keen of with his antics, or pushing the buttons of those he finds boring. Going further with this to make him the villain here, he'd be curious about the weird lil guy he found but also think they'll be too weak and boring if he doesn't mess with them.

He'd defo enjoy manhandling the hell out of the lil borrower at first, playing games with it and making it do tedious parkours n stuff or hang them where they can't move a muscle, like those little rain doll things Japanese people hang to their umbrellas and elsewhere for good weather? Yea like that. Nothing to actually physically harm the lil guy, but he'll push them to their very limit and keep them weak and exhausted.

Oftentimes he'll 'forget' to lock them up at night and make them think they can escape, only to catch them at the very least second, 'It's a lie!' and yoink them up and lock them again or sleep with them trapped in a loose fist. It happens many times and each time the borrower knows it's a trap but tries anyway, and each time they get caught they despair more and more.

The times Kokichi actually tries to act like a pure villain is when he's interrogating the borrower. Who are you, what are you, why were you at Saihara's place, why do you hide and steal... Etc etc. He does that dark face thing and brings a finger down on the borrower's torso gently pressing on it taunting them. It's pathetic seeing them pinned down and struggling to fight even one finger.

Needless to say, Kokichi's fun is hell for the poor borrower. Plus, being already super afraid of humans, their experience with Kokichi is borderline traumatic.

Meanwhile, Shu notices the little stealings stopped. He's kinda sad about it and still talks to his walls like 'hey little people are you still here? Hope I didn't anger you or something please come back' but ultimately doesn't dwell on it and keeps his focus on more important matters.

One day he needs to get back something he lent to Kokichi, who's lot home. He needs it really urgently so he just uses the spare keys kichi gave him (yea I'm just assuming they're that good of friends) and quickly goes in his room to get it, but as he's leaving he hears a weird little sound, something like a whimper. For a second he thinks Kokichi is hiding under his bed or something but the sound seems like it came from his desk. He gets closer and inspects it and sees a flash of movement from a drawer that's cracked open. His curiosity is piqued and he takes a look in...

And finds a terrified little guy.

Shu's mind short-circuits for a second, unable to process the scene before his eyes. It gets worse when the weird tiny person speaks 'Why you- why are you here? Did K-Kokichi let you see me?'

Shu is super taken aback and stutters a quick no, and sees the little person scoot back, fear clear in its eyes. He realizes he looks like an intruder or a thief.

'Ah- I don't want to hurt you! I'm kind of lost here though, who are you? Why are you like this... And in Kokichi's drawer?'

For a moment, the tiny person doesn't speak or look at him in the eyes, deep in thoughts and reluctant with fear, but then they speak.

'Shuichi, y-you have to help me... Kokichi kidnapped me- I don't want to be here! Please help me!' and despite seeming terrified of Shu, they seem desperate.

Shu is now 10x times more lost. The situation is as confusing as a dream, but what matters at the moment is to help and reassure the scared little person. He's really not sure what to do, but first it'd be good to get them out of that dark and cramped drawer and go back to his place and try to figure things out.

He doesn't really know if he can grab the lil fella, so he takes his cap off and lets them climb in then holds it up to his chest to hide the tiny guy while he walks in the streets. He's not the best at comforting but he does mumble a few apologies and reassuring words to let the tiny person know that everything is fine. It's a little unnerving for the borrower to hear Shu talk to them again like he used to- except this time, Shu knows they exist. Either way, it helps bring some comfort.

Shu bumps into Kokichi on his way out and freaks out, but tries to keep his cool.

'Saihara~ did you need something at my place? You should have called me you know? It's very rude to go inside people's houses while they're away, also super illegal. Gasp! Did Saihara finally succumb to the temptation of crime?' his tone is teasing and playful, but there's something of an edge to it, and his big, bright smile seems too forced to be genuine.

'ah, yeah but it's alright I got it now-'

'what are you hiding in your cap?'

Meanwhile the borrower can hear shu's heart pound too fast, or maybe that's their own heartbeat. They don't want to be caught by Kokichi again.

'Nothing- really, I just took it off since it's a little hot outside'

'you say that while wearing a hoodie? Saihara would never ever take his cap off! What are you hiding?' his face goes blank and serious. Before he can be stopped, he reaches for the cap and tilts it to see the tiny, shaking fella inside.

Now, Shuichi isn't the confrontational type, but the tiny person just looks so terrified and pitiful, all shaking and wide eyed. He smacks the hand reaching for tiny person harshly and brings the cap and the tiny fella closer to his chest, then sneaks another hand in to brush against their toothpick-like arm in reassurence. He frowns and tries to question Kokichi, but the shorter guy takes the lead and speaks first.

'oh, I see you found my little friend!'

'i would hardly call them your "friend" seeing how scared of you they look'

'aww, so mean! They're scared of everyone, not just me! Besides, you should be grateful, Saihara, I got rid of your apartments's problem and fixed them! Now you can be sure they'll never try to mess with you again. Ah, but if you want your problem back, I don't care. They were too boring anyway' his tone is venomous, and there's a finality to it. Just like that Kokichi walks away, whistling a tune like he'd just been talking about the weather, that seems so over the top for him that Shu gets the feeling he's pissed but is hiding it. Shuichi really wants to grab his shoulder and stop him to confront him, but the shaky person clinging to his hand is more important at the moment.

He goes back to his apartment in a rush and carefully sets the tiny person in his bed since it's the most comfortable surface and the poor little guy seems exhausted. He's not really sure what he should do so he leaves to the kitchen to make some tea and clear his mind.

He goes back to his room and can't find the small person! He freaks out and starts looking for them- but then a thought pops in his mind, he remembers how he'd thought there could be little people living in his walls, and it just clicks that if the person knew his name and somewhat trusted him then maybe, as crazy as that sounds, they could be the little thief in his walls?

After a moment of thought, it doesn't sound that crazy after all. Shuichi sighs and sets the cup and thimble of tea on his desk, then looks around the room and thinks of what to do in that situation.

'Um,' he feels self conscious, talking to the walls again but knowing this time that there's someone listening, 'i know you're really scared right now, I would be too if I were you. I'd probably be even more scared than you- I know I would never have trusted some giant stranger to hold me and help me get out of a bad situation, that was really brave. So, uh... Thank you for trusting me back there, I'm glad I could help. I don't really have the right to ask that but... please, don't be afraid of me. If you don't need my help anymore then I'm really happy, but it would kill me to know if you're hiding while you need help. I know I must look really scary to you, really really scary, but I promise I only want to help. So, um, please don't hesitate to come if you need anything.' he exhales and feels his face flushing. The words sound cheesy on his tongue, but he is being as honest as he can be.

He doesn't expect it to work though, so when he sees a tiny head poking from behind the pile of books on his desk, he feels the tension in his limbs evaporate and a warm feeling blooming in his chest. Being so shy, people don't think he is reliable, so he's glad to see someone so scared of him still put some trust in him.

The borrower takes a few steps closer and nods 'alright'.

Then there's a bit of an awkward silence as neither knows what to do next. Shu remembers his old plans and carefully pushes the thimble closer to the little person.

'ahh, i made you some tea. It must have gotten cold now though, sorry. Do you want me to hear it up again?' and he leaves to do it, stops at his bedroom's door, thinking that if he leaves the little person again they might try to run off, but he pushes that thought away.

He's gals and relived when he gets back and finds them sitting in the middle of his desk, nervous but present nonetheless. He feels too intimidating and large and monstrous so he kneels on the floor to be more at eye level with the tiny person.

'we can talk if you want, or we can just be silent. Either way is fine with me' he doesn't want them to feel pressured, poor little thing already seems too scared and fidgety. He's afraid to loose whatever silver of trust they have in him.

The borrower is silent for a while, sipping at their tea and stealing a few glances up at their old bean. Living alone, their bean had been their only company. Not to mention that he was so nice when he talked to them in the walls, not even sure someone was listening. It had been unnerving, but also a nice change from the constant silence and loneliness. The borrower feels a bit more at ease and slowly opens up about what happend and who they are.

They're a little quiet, stammer a lot and speak so fast most of their speech doesn't make much sense and is hard to follow, but Shuichi patiently listens anyway, until their words slowly fade to small sobs and quiet sniffles.

Shuichi's heart tightens at the sight. He doesn't know how to comfort a crying person, but he has to be there for them, so he slides a finger on their back and rubs it in gentle motions. He doesn't do anything more and lets them decide whether or not they accept the gesture, thinking the touch may discomfort them. he just doesn't want to overwhelm the poor fella.

Shuichi is usually the one to rely on others, the role of a strong and supportive person is foreign to him so he's bit at a loss for words, but he does clumsily promise he'll protect them and make them happy.

(shoot! This got much longer than I planned but eh, at least I kinda like how it turned out it was worth spending a while on)

[fuse2dx]

November ‘20

Cross Code

Cross Code is a game that is trying so very, very hard. The story is based around your character being an avatar within an MMORPG, and its this kind of game-within-a-game setup that is used as a cheeky way to skirt the fourth wall and have its characters make snide remarks at certain design decisions, while also going full steam ahead with them regardless of the fact. Don’t think we didn’t notice, dev team! It plays out as a 2D top-down action RPG, but clearly has aspirations that extend far beyond this framework. Each of its environments is thoroughly layered with subtle verticality, with parkour-esque platforming having you constantly working backwards from your intended destination, and requiring meticulous attention to detail in order to find where it is you’re able to begin your elaborate series of jumps from. There’s a huge array of materials to gather and channel through traders and to craft into gear, and the combat they benefit is both precise and complex, requiring plenty of on-the-fly thinking as well as tight execution. As well as these set-piece battles, the game’s dungeons are full of puzzles that though smart in construction, are tough enough in isolation, and frankly brutal in their relentless frequency. One particularly ill-advised chapter has a series of three such dungeons in quick succession, and perfectly illustrates that just because you can, does not mean that you should. 

On a more positive note, one thing the game does have in spades is charm. The sprite work is admirable; even though characters are a touch on the tiny side to be too effective on their own, their portraits and dialogue provide a solid emotive connection to them and the story that builds up around them. In all, it is a game that can be a lot of fun, and plenty rewarding - but the entire thing is overly long and far too regularly punishing. It’s tapped into a number of 16-bit action-RPG ideas well, but has perhaps unintentionally also managed to become the most masochistic presentation of these ideas to date.

Crimzon Clover: World Explosion

A game I’ve technically owned for years now, however the lack of a Windows PC has held me back from playing it - with this debut on the Switch finally granting me the opportunity though to get hands on. Although I’d gleaned plenty from watching super players decimate it before now, even my feeble credit feeding through the game’s five stages has given me plenty of additional appreciation for just how good it is. 

It looks brilliant, with chunky, detailed enemies animated beautifully as they move about the screen. The music pounds along to an energetic beat, and the game keeps a solid pace all while plenty of bullets swarm around you in creative and considered patterns. Turning the tides with Break Mode is an incredibly satisfying way to take control of hairier moments, and while I can’t speak for every intricacy of its scoring system, I know that it’s developed by a team that demonstrably understands the value of these. What I can more reliably add to that discussion is that you’re unlikely to find yourself reliant on any one hook to find your fun though; even the most pedestrian appreciator of the genre should find plenty to enjoy. Thoroughly deserving of its regular appearance alongside the biggest names in the genre.

Holovista

There’s often a reasonable amount of scepticism that comes from some folks when you talk of gaming on a mobile phone. Flipping the conversation though, and instead to talk of one of my favourite advantages of the format, it’s great that a developer can lean on the familiarity and the personal connection that you have to the device you’re playing on. As a device that lives by your side 24/7 and increasingly encroaches further into every aspect of your being, Holovista leverages this connection amazingly, spinning its story in a series of interfaces that mimic how your phone acts when you use it yourself. Taking pictures and interacting with people in particular are key interfaces, and that are done in a way that neatly puts you right into the shoes of their character. 

It begins with said character taking an interview for a new job that is hoped to herald a new tide of good fortune, and promptly introduces the circle of friends that are there to help with this and that celebrate alongside. As you learn more about the job, things slowly begin to get a bit weird, and then take a turn that is something akin to Black Mirror meets nightmarish introspection. Though not overtly unpleasant, there are some memorably unsettling moments along the way. Sensibly, it does have content warnings that offer some sound advice for those it might not sit so well with, but self-care does end up being a central takeaway from the game as a whole as well as for its cast. On the back of circumstances we’ll generically chalk up to this year’s being what it is, this ended up feeling like a lovely little palate cleanser -  a considered refresh, thoroughly original, and a very worthy afternoon’s entertainment. 

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening

One thing that’s always been great about Link’s Awakening came as a result of the technical limitations imposed by the Gameboy - that the Zelda format needed all the fat trimmed, while the mixture of puzzles and action were to be distilled down into their most potent and compact form. Even with the (entirely optional) extras they’ve slipped in with this remake, this still shines through in its design now, where it couldn’t be any further removed from the risks of overly long, dragged out pacing. A small overworld it may be, but it’s full of variety, secrets, and memorable moments. Dungeons are similarly economical with its good ideas - giving you new tools, laying out smart ways to break you into their use, and then letting you get on with things. 

While the remastered music is also utterly charming, the real upsell here is the total visual do-over; its tilt-shifted cartoon aesthetic pushing each and every scene to look like a shiny, hyper-cute diorama. For all of the different visual styles that the series has dabbled with in the past, this one definitely feels like the right match for the light-hearted whimsy that comes through from the story and the characters. That’s not to say that it’s flawless either - the blurring at the screen’s edges can be overly intense at times, and the overall presentation does cause the performance to stutter and feel a little sluggish at times. I point at these things only given the bar is raised so - something unavoidable when you already know a game is a stone-cold classic from the off. 

Astro’s Playroom

Coming pre-installed on your shiny new (and hopefully not scalped) Playstation 5 console, Playroom begins as a humble introduction to the capabilities of the Dual Sense controller. Touch control, haptic feedback, adaptive triggers and the like are introduced and may well generate some cooing and low-key positivity, however this enthusiasm is elevated by a mighty factor when the game truly begins and everything is put so deftly into practice.

It’s not a complex or particularly challenging title as far as 3D platformers go, with frequent checkpoints and no life counter in sight. Any mould-breaking to be done comes instead from the diversity in how you control various sideshows, with the entire kitchen sink’s worth of interface options being showcased as you climb into a monkey suit, blast off a rocket ship, bounce around as a pinball, and so on. All of these demonstrate ingenuity that could’ve easily gone awry, yet are quickly understood, and grounded in a level of both tactile and in-game feedback that maintains a natural feeling. The game’s worlds serve as virtual tours through colourful, fantasy depictions of hardware components that demonstrates an excellent level of both pride and playfulness, with fellow bots littering both the through-fare and the unbeaten paths, dressed up and enacting smart homage to generations of games and their characters, all while Playstation-themed collectables are doled out in tandem alongside smart, well-natured puns. It arguably borders on propaganda at times, such is the intense positivity. That said, the more extensive your tenure is with Sony’s platforms, the more likely it’ll dull your better judgement to this, instead letting slip a grin at what is essentially the grandest love letter to all things Playstation, and the warmest, most celebratory pack-in for a new console Sony could have ever hoped for. 

The showcasing of new features and hardware aside, it’s also a subtle and unofficial coronation of Astrobot as Sony’s newest (and best) mascot. There’s been plenty of candidates in the past who’ve half-heartedly assumed to own the position, but it’s the silent, cheerful charm which makes Astro that much more of an endearing figurehead. G'wan the little guy.

No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle

For someone that loves Suda51 and adored No More Heroes, my reaction to No More Heroes 2 on its original release was comparatively tepid. With a third game due next year, this re-release felt like the right time to revisit it and see it through, and although I found some things to enjoy, I certainly found plenty to remind me why I had bounced off it previously.

Roaming about in Santa Destroy between missions is gone, instead replaced with a short check list of destinations. While not a fan of the change myself, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing - though it does give a misleading impression of tightened focus that is very quickly lost as it lays out a spread of half-baked, and frankly clumsy mini-games. As well as being your prime source for money and upgrades, these do a lot to artificially increase the length of the game, and put simply, they’re just not fun enough to warrant this level of prominence. Even the main story has frequent moments where it veers away from the core 3D hack and slash gameplay, and again, these do more harm than good to the game’s flow.

The fighting underpinning it all has undoubtably been done better since by any number of titles, and though imperfect, it is still serviceable and enjoyable for the most part. Boss battles definitely hold the lion’s share of the game’s highlights, but there’s a few that also stick out with some poorly executed designs that tars its lasting impression. Shades do remain of the ridiculous, irreverent charm of the first game, although they are certainly more infrequent, and a more modern lens also brings into question just how sincerely we should take the sending up of Travis, when cast upon a backdrop of frequent fanservice. Not the best sequel then, but let’s hope 3 gets things back on track.  

[stareyedraccoon]

👀👀👀 execution hm?

ill put it under the cut!!!! tw for .. death… obvs… its a Dangan Ronpa Execution 

Seeing these … reactions was weird, to say the least. He was certain everyone hated him, even before he killed Tabi. so this? this was weird.Alyen hugging him threw him off a bit too much. Honestly? It was between momo and Alyen on who to frame- Its not like he wanted these kids to die, or he even really wanted to kill anyone. but.. "Ay, you really need to take better care of yourselves, the both of you. Lock your doors- and make sure you’re with someone most of the time. This will happen again and again until you find a way home, get it? Be more careful. if i see any of yall in hell with me im kicking your ass.“ he sneered, messing up the fish boys hair before gently cranking him off."And momo, sorry.. ya know? for everything, could have been better to you.” He made his way past them both, walking up to Caius. Poor dude. “Ey, its gonna be alright, ok?” Was he ignoring riku? he was ignoring riku. that dude always rubbed him the wrong way. he bent down to be at Caius level, petting his hair and wrapping his coat around the kid. "Listen, Its a fucked up situation ya know? If that letter was from my dad and i didnt do as he said? He would have killed me himself, so… I rather go out this way ya know? Plus, who says i cant outrun this otter huh?“he kisses cass gntl, right on the god damn mouth, before standing and looking at monotter“ITS PUNISHMENT TIME!” Monotters tiny mallet hit the big red button in front of him with a click! Tiny colourful stars spurting from the impact! Focusing in on the screen beneath just in time to see a tiny 8-bit Marche flee from a chasing monotter. The screen reading– ‘GAME OVER’MARSHALL FLETCHER HAS BEEN FOUND GUILTY!Time for the punishment! Though both pixels had already fled from the screen by the time it faded to black. Marche didn’t stick around long enough to feel the harsh stares of his classmates not affected by his sob story, as soon as his goodbyes were said, he fled. Springing off of his own podium, he sprinted towards the elevator– If he could just make it in there he would be safe, That was his thought process. Monotter was surprised, a blank look on his face as he processed the Free Runner’s attempted escape; before SCREECHING and slamming his tiny paw on the same red button, sending out a metal clasp to catch the fleeing rat. Marche flicked his one eye back, pivoting to the side just in time to dodge the chained trap. This angered the otter even more. SCREECHING, he slammed his paw into the button over and over, tiny colourful stars still bursting from the impact with every forceful smack, getting more and more droopy as the button was abused. The ultimate titles were not given out lightly.  Marche had managed to twist and dodge every single metal clasp that had come to drag him to his execution, barreling into the elevator, he slammed his body to the side, hiding from the sights of his classmates, of monotter. The elevator chimed, the doors closed. Stood still Then plummeted downwards, as if the cord had snapped suddenly.ON YOUR MARK! GET SET!The elevator landed with a crash, throwing Marche out, he rolled into multiple dog-monokumas, barking and lined up at a starting line. Marche stood, staring at them confused, before being pushed to his starting point by an angered monotter, irritated and fed up with this execution already. Marshall took his place, monotter sped to the front of the line, squaking and showing the course map to all the ‘contestants’, pointing out the finish line. If he could just get to that … It was a general area people would practice parkour on, pipes, staircases, ledges that fell to the sideway far far beneath, it was all here. It was a danger Marche was used to, used to racing on. His confident increased with every growing second, his nervousness of dying replaced with a smug grin, setting his eyes on the finish line. 3 …. 2 ….1 ….  GO! Marche sprinted off, quickly gaining the lead in this race. He pushed off the first rooftop, grabbing onto the adjacent, taller building. His hands grabbed onto the lip of the building, wincing as sharp barbs stabbed into his hands. He gritted his teeth, quickly pulling himself up before looking at his hands, bleeding and damaged.  The course was booby trapped, and the dog-kumas were in close pursuit of him, one’s metal claws already attached to the roof behind him.He didn’t have time to worry about a few minor injuries, he bolted off once again. Vaulting over a wall, his arms got cutJumping over gaps, he landed in barbed wire, shredding his pants more so, ripping his legs gruesomely.Climbing up a pole- seems there were razorbladez jutting out,  slicing his hands, arms, and torso.Through all this abuse, he was finally within sight of the finish line, lined in neon lights, it almost looked heavenly.All that was left was a staircase down, then to jump across to the next roof, and he was home free.Despite all the bleeding, cuts, gashes, how abused his legs were by now, he forced his last bit of energy into running, running towards the stairs and towards the exit. Just one last stunt and he could go home. He could prove to his dad he would do anything, and he wouldn’t be hurt for failing his last remaining family. He could finally be someone his dad could be proud of. As soon as Marche was about to jump down the stairs, The dog-kumas appeared at both sides of the staircase, pulling a rope taunt and tripping the freerunner instantly, the momentum he put into his jump dooming him further.Marche fell down the stairs, each impact worsening his already brutal injuries. His head hit the concrete multiple times, each dog-kuma kicked him further down the staircase at each landing, giving him no time to try and stop his downfall. His speed only picked up, disgusting crunching noises emitting from his body as his arm broke, passing the last opportunity he had to jump to the finish line, His last hope passing him by in a blur. He plummeted faster and faster, before landing in a disgusting pile at the bottom of the stairs. Marche bleed out on the concrete below, body broken beyond repair. He struggled to keep his eyes open, even going as far as try to move from his twisted position, only to gasp for air as a broken rib punctured his lungs. Marshall Fletcher went still.

[jimincase]

College AU! Hoseok - Partners

Previous AU: Jungkook, Jimin, Taehyung A/N: This for whatever reason was one of my faves to write?? Though I think it may make the least sense?? Anyway, This College AU will be with all the boys, but with different scenarios

College life wasn’t as great as everyone painted it out to be

With the parties and the socialising aspect

As you have done none of that

In fact, all you have done is gone to your classes and straight back to your dorm

You just blamed your lack of socializing on being busy with school work

Which wasn’t the case at all

You were just super shy

Your roommate always tried getting you to go out with her but you always declined

You felt bad because you knew how she really did try for you to get out more but you didn’t want to ruin her night by her having to watch and make sure you’re having fun

She asked you to come out with her tonight and so you told her you would consider it

But you have to get to your Economics class before you’re late

You always get to that class early

Mostly because Economics wasn’t your strong suit and you had to prepare and study the hell out of that class

You usually sat in the back so no one would be by you

But here comes some boy that throws his stuff in the seat behind you

You’ve seen him before dancing around campus

But he rarely showed up to class

You’re kind of shocked he decided to sit by you when there are a ton of available seats open

But you just ignore it and pay attention to the lecture

As soon as you think the class is finally done, your professor has a sudden announcement to make

Apparently there will be a project for the class, where you need to partner up with someone

It’s also worth a huge grade

You see people pairing up together and the thought of just e-mailing the professor some lame excuse about why you can’t pair up with anybody and will just do the project solo crosses your mind when a body plops down in the seat next to yours

You realize that it’s the dancer boy

Who literally just climbed over a row of seats to get to you ???

“So what do you say? Do you want to be partners?”

When you look over, all you see is this big grin that just radiates happiness

And ears poking out of his beanie

You’re left stuttering for a few seconds because you really didn’t expect anyone, let alone such a radiating, positive-looking person to ask to partner with you

“I kinda suck at Economics”

“Is that a new form of rejection now?”

“What, no. I don’t actually mean rejection. I didn’t say an answer.”

You just wanna bang your head on the desk at this point because you aren’t sure how to express your thoughts on it to him

He just keeps smiling throughout your embarrassment

“So, yes?”

You nod your head meekly because what else are you going to do

But then you realize that this boy never shows up to class

And you internally freak out a little bit

But then you rationalize that really, he can’t be any worse than you

So you fully agree to partnering up with him, Hoseok

You guys agree to meet up to start working on the project tomorrow night instead of tonight because he had plans

When you get back to your dorm, your roommate instantly ushers you to her room where she lays out an outfit for you

The plans

You never really declined them

Which is why you were at some party, a shitty drink in your hand and people all around you

You promised your roommate you’d be fine so she could go off and have fun

In reality you weren’t that okay and we’re freaking out a bit

Because damn there are so many people

And it’s so crowded

Eventually you begin getting so light-headed and dizzy that you decide it’s best to just get outside where hopefully there wouldn’t be a ton of people

You feel bad for shoving people but luckily most of them don’t seem to mind and finally you get out to fresh air

You go to the side of the house where almost nobody is and lean against the cool brick of the house, trying to calm down

You’re not too sure how long you stood like that

But you hear some shouting from the back of the house rounding the side you were at

Several boys round the corner, all laughing and almost running, turning to look back behind them a couple of times only to laugh more

It’s pretty dark where you’re at but the backyard was pretty well lit so you can see just what the boys were laughing at

A sopping wet Hoseok and some other boy

Who looked a little pissed at the giggling group of boys

You have to stifle a laugh yourself when you see just how soaked and angry Hoseok looks

The group of boys dart in your direction, the two drenched boys following

When they get to where you’re at, Hoseok notices you and stops in his tracks

His anger seems to dissipate when you make eye contact and a smile instantly lights up his features

He comes to stand next to you, “Ah, Y/N! I didn’t expect to see you at one of these things”

You’re not too sure how to take his words but you just smile and nod, gesturing to his soaked/drenched attire

He grins, raising his hand to the back of his neck to rub it sheepishly

He nodded his head over to his group of friends that were still laughing and getting hit by the other soaking wet boy

“Namjoon and I got pushed in the pool.”

Namjoon comes over to you guys now where Hoseok’s smile widens

“This is Y/N! My Economics partner. They’ll be stopping by the dorm tomorrow.”

Namjoon and Hoseok remain eye contact for a few moments, seeming to have a silent conversation before Namjoon nods his head slowly, a sly grin spreading across his face

You stay with the boys for the rest of the night, laughing and talking with all of them before your roommate comes by and asks if you’re ready to go

You wave goodbye to the boys and when you get home your roommate is instantly bombarding you with questions about them

“Look at you! Going to your first party and hitting it off with so many cute guys.”

You wave her off though and she just laughs

The next day when you go to Hoseok’s dorm you see all the boys from the previous night also there

They all begin teasing both you and Hoseok for reasons unbeknownst to you

You surprisingly don’t mind, instead laughing at how flushed Hoseok gets as he kicks them all out for you two to work on your project

As you begin working and figuring out the basics for it, you notice that although Hoseok doesn’t really show up to class, he knew what he was talking about

He notices you're struggling with the subject and helps you out by giving you mini lessons and tutoring you a little bit

You guys continue working on the project for the next week or so

You quickly become more comfortable around Hoseok as the more time goes by with you two together

Eventually the deadline is fast approaching and you and Hoseok are pretty much done with it, just needing to add a small detail here and there

You guys are taking a break, just talking and snacking

“I’m telling you, it’s a proven fact.”

“No way, that’s too stupid!”

“Search it up then, Y/N”

You pout, throwing a piece of popcorn at him because you know he’s right but still doesn’t disprove the fact that the fine for selling gum in Singapore is 85 million won (almost $75,000)

When you two go quiet, you’re tempted to ask a question you’ve been wanting to ask Hoseok since the first day you met him

“Hoseok? Why did you choose to be my partner?”

“Why did you agree?”

“I had no genuine reason to say “No.” Now answer my question.”

“Oh is the popcorn low? I’ll go cook up some more”

As he reaches up to grab the bowl from you, you pull it closer to you

“Popcorn is fine. Why are you avoiding the question?”

“I just wanted to be partners”

“Why? And why didn’t you ever really show up to class, but you’re there on project day?”

You get closer to Hoseok as you notice him getting more flustered when you ask more questions

You’re so close to him that your nose is brushing against his cheek, trying to pressure him into answering you

“Namjoon and Jin hyung took the class before, that’s how I knew about the project.”

“And you just randomly chose to sit by me? And jump over a row of seats to ask to be my partner?”

“Everyone needs to practice their parkour skills every once in a while, Y/N.”

“Hobiiiiii”

Your nose is literally pressed against his cheek now

Just enjoying teasing him

A lot

“Okay, so what if I wanted to partner with someone cute and who I happened to have seen in class and around campus always with their books spilling out of those tiny hands and so what if maybe I thought said cute person was a hard worker and it was a bonus that they were so attractive? Doesn’t matter.”

His words are so rushed together that it takes you a couple moments to decipher them

“Awww, Jung Hoseok thinks I’m cute and attractive? I feel so honored!”

His face is a beet red and you can’t help bursting into a fit of laughter

“Honestly Hoseok you are the cute one here. How did I get so lucky to have met you?”

He turns to look at you and his gaze is iNTENS E

You really didn’t expect such a reaction but you’re frozen in place, waiting to see what he would do after your words

His hands shoot up to grab your face and you’re pulled right into him

Your lips are brushing and he pauses right before actual contact to just stare at you

You figure he doesn’t wanna make the move because he wasn’t too sure where you stood even after your compliment

So you close the gap between you two

A+ kiss

A+ boyfriend

A+ economic grade

:)

BONUS:

[amaranthkick]

A Wolf and A Raven, Part 5

(Part 1), (Part 2), (Part 3), (Part 4)

Action scenes

Grrrr….

 Lance froze in place, an icy chill crept down his spine. He's never heard a growl that aggressive or otherworldly. He turned to look behind him hardly daring to breathe.

 He let out a tiny squeak at what he saw. They could only be described as demon dogs and they were slowly approaching him like he was helpless prey immobilized by fear.

 They suddenly sprinted towards him and Lance had no choice but to run for his life.

  *crash*

 A glass cup shattered on the floor when the table shook and unbalanced it. Shiro had abruptly stood up clutching his chest, a terrified look on his pale face. He felt a strong, painful tug and in that moment he could clearly feel Lance’s panic.

 “Lance is in danger.” It was all they got before Shiro quickly rushed out the door with Keith right at his heels.

 They left Pidge and Hunk worriedly looking on then at each other.

 Shiro ran down the street in his wolf form. The tugging was frantic so he couldn't focus it enough to at least pick up on a direction to follow. But he couldn't just stop, Lance needed him.

 “Shiro, do you know where you're going?” Keith asked catching up to Shiro after shifting to his panther form.

 Shiro was about to say something but was interrupted by a loud caw.

 “Black!” Shiro looked up and saw the raven swiftly fly ahead of them.

 This way!

 “Keith, follow Black. You’re faster, make sure Lance is alright. I'll catch up, don't worry.” Keith grunted an acknowledgement and sped up. Shiro watched as the panther ran ahead of him.

 Don't give up Lance!

 Lance couldn't help but think how lucky he was to had spent a lot of time in track and field. He was pretty sure it helped him stay ahead of these crazy dogs. He also thanked being in the swim team for building his stamina. He hurt himself a little bumping into corners trying to make sharp turns to lose them.

 He toppled over anything that wasn't bolted to the ground hoping to impede their assault. Lance managed to gain some ground but in his frantic haste he unfortunately ended up going onto a dead end. Ugh how fitting, this is going to be his end and soon he'll be dead.

 With his back against the wall he was facing certain doom head-on. His eyes widened as he felt a small tugging sensation. Don't give up Lance!

 Suddenly everything seemed clearer instead of a panicked blur and a small but true window of opportunity stood out to him. Lance would never be more grateful in his life than when his thirteen year-old self thought learning parkour would help him impress the girls. It didn't but now that knowledge could finally be useful by saving his skin.

 With the aid of the walls he jumped up and over just narrowingly avoiding the jaws of the skeletal hounds and onto the lid of a dumpster. From there he jumped and grabbed the end of a fire escape ladder then swung himself to freedom. But he miscalculated his swing and landed harshly. Pain blossomed from his ankle, he probably sprained it.

 The hell hounds took advantage of his moment of weakness and charged in for an attack.

 Then out of nowhere a large panther with a red bandana around its neck jumped in between the hounds and Lance.

 Lance heard Black cawing and saw her flying around him. Lance, you have to get out of here. Lance’s shock was evident on his face but the growling behind him reminded him that he could ask questions later. He got up and left the scene as quickly as he could with a limp.

 He didn't get far when a skeletal beast tackled him to the ground. It must have slipped past the panther. Lance screamed as it bit down on his upper arm tearing into him, blood slowly seeping out.

 Just then something else charged in pushing the hound off of Lance. He gingerly held his injured arm and turned to this other hero of the night and Lance gasped, “Shiro!”

 The wolf familiar was standing protectively in front of Lance snarling at the threat to his partner. Plasma claws were extended from his cybernetic prosthetic.

 Lance looked on in awe as Shiro fought tooth and nail to pin down the skeletal dog. But he noticed that while it was wearing down Shiro, nothing was really working for the other. Something about the skeletal hounds just seemed so unnatural.

 He was startled out of his thoughts when Shiro let out a sharp whimper of pain as the hellhound bit his flesh front leg then threw him roughly through the air. He crashed into Lance and they tumbled back a little.

 Now Lance was between Shiro and the hellhound. He couldn't help but look back slightly and placed his hand on the wolf’s back. “Shiro, are you alright?” Lance asked more concerned about his friend. He hissed as he saw the bite mark on Shiro’s front leg.

 The hellhound started running towards them and Lance shielded Shiro with his body in a feeble attempt to protect him, his eyes screwed shut awaiting the inevitable pain. Shiro wanted to protest trying to get back up again his body shaking with exertion.

 He saw the hellhound lunge in for the kill. No, Lance!

 Shiro jumped at the sudden, blunt, banging sounds. Even Lance opened his eyes in surprise to find he is not dead. They stared in shock, miraculously shoved between them and the jaws of death was a thin, see-through, blue force field.

 Unfortunately, the shield was weak and unstable. Spiderweb-like cracks were already forming from the beating it was taking.

 Just as the shield was about break, without warning a pickup truck slammed into the hellhound and sent it flying several yards away.

 Lance balked as he saw that Hunk was driving. He didn't own a truck, did he steal and hot wired it to work?

 “Hurry! Get in!” Hunk exclaimed and Keith opened a door to let them in to the extra seats.

 Lance was left speechless and frozen, gaping in shock when before his very eyes Shiro slipped into his human form to pick him up and all but shove him into the truck.

 Lance was squished in the middle between Keith and Shiro. His brain was still struggling to process this new info about the wolf he treated so his eyes wandered for something else to focus on. He caught a small but bleeding cut on Keith’s arm.

 “Keith?” In a daze he reached out to lightly touch an area near the cut. It's not too deep but the edges looked singed as if something burned him.

 “Don't worry about it.” Keith gently dismissed and instead tried to get them to focus on their current problem. “What are we going to do, the dogs are still chasing-”

 “Is that Allura!?” Shiro interrupted as he looked back spotting the hounds following them but also the princess who was kneeling outside to balance herself in the open cargo area of the truck facing the hounds.

 “Don't worry guys, we got a plan.” Hunk tried to sound confident but they could feel how nervous he was. “Pidge was the one who called Allura for backup when she saw what was happening on the security cams. She was asked by Allura to help someone named Coran to prepare a containment unit.”

 Hunk drove them to a wider, open street the next part of the plan. He floored it to gain some distance.

  Allura had a hand on her earpiece presumably listening to Coran or Pidge. She nodded to herself and started to sweep her arms in a circular motion. What can only be described as a wormhole opened up above the scene. The containment unit fell through and trapped the hell hounds as it landed on the ground. Its hover technology activated and it followed close behind the truck.

 With all the fearless grace of a warrior princess Allura climbed over the truck and into the passenger side seat.

 “It's alright now, they are trapped and can't hurt us anymore. Hunk will drive us to the castle where we can rest and discuss what happened, don't worry I'll show you the way.”

 Lance let out a big sigh of relief and sunk into his seat. He was utterly exhausted the post adrenaline high left him completely drained.

 The last thing he remembered before sleep claimed him was someone gently pulling him into a warm embrace and a sense of safety settling in his chest.

(Part 6)